Discover what to do in Calalzo di Cadore in Belluno Province: the Chiggiato hut circular route, Val Vedessana, and Valle d’Òten. Want to know more? First of all…
Where is Calalzo di Cadore located?
The municipality of Calalzo di Cadore borders north with Auronzo di Cadore, south with Pieve di Cadore, south west with Vodo di Cadore and Borca di Cadore, west with San Vito di Cadore and east with Domegge di Cadore.
Circular route of Rifugio Chiggiato
The Church of the Blessed Virgin of Caravaggio
The starting point of the itinerary is the large parking area by the Church of the Blessed Virgin of Caravaggio. Located on Via A. de Bon, this bright place of worship is accessible through an elegant wooden doorway, crowned by a multicoloured stained-glass window set within a pointed arch. Topped by a luminous rose window, the portal is flanked by two slender single-light windows, also finished with pointed arches and decorated with coloured glass. The church’s double-pitched façade faces south east, towards the extraordinary panorama of the Monfalconi mountain group and the Spalti di Toro.
Val Vedessana
We continue north west towards Bar Alpino, where the signs for the trail can be found: in about three hours it leads to Rifugio Chiggiato. After crossing the bridge over the Molinà stream, at the fork keep right and take the path that enters Val Vedessana. The asphalt road winds into the dense vegetation of a conifer forest brushed by a twisting watercourse, until it reaches the locality of La Stua, at 1150 metres above sea level.
Trail 261 and Rifugio Chiggiato
From here we follow the signs for trail 261, which in about two hours will take us to our destination. At this point we tackle the nine hairpin bends that wind across the slope covered in fir trees, whose sharp crowns cast shade over a little wooden house and a wayside shrine with a crucifix. Along the well-marked trail we find a charming votive niche bearing the inscription: “Qui transitò il 19.07.1988 K. Wojtyła Papa Giovanni Paolo II“.
Scenic views of the Dolomites from Monte Negro
The route continues uphill without any technical difficulty or particularly demanding gradients until it reaches Rifugio Chiggiato. Situated at 1911 metres above sea level, this welcoming mountain hut blends harmoniously into the summit of Col Negro, an ideal destination for photography enthusiasts wondering what to do in Calalzo di Cadore. From the hut’s privileged position, surrounded by a sunny grassy area, you can enjoy a wide-ranging view of the solemn rocky peaks of the Marmarole, a Dolomite mountain range set in the heart of Cadore between Val D’Ansiei to the north, Val D’Oten to the south, the Sorapiss group to the west, and Monte Antelao to the south west.
The way back through Valle d’Òten.
On clear days, looking south east you can see the peaks of the Spalti del Toro. Once the visit is over, the path continues downhill along trail 260. The descent is decidedly steeper, so the use of crampons is recommended on snowy days. The final stretch of the itinerary follows the d’Òten stream and the Molinà stream, passing through Praciadelan and the Cima Tuoro picnic area.
If you are wondering what to do in Calalzo di Cadore, this hike is recommended for those who want to immerse themselves in silent enchanted forests crossed by crystal-clear streams bubbling among moss-covered rocks and admire some of the most spectacular and photogenic panoramic views of the Dolomites of Cadore.
